August 12: Joseph Lister Performs an Antiseptic Surgery
Prayer Idea
Pray for people who are recovering from surgery.
History Note
In the 19th century, doctors performed a variety of surgeries to help patients recover from injury and illness. However, even when the surgery appeared to be successful, patients often died because of infections. Sepsis is the term for this condition when a person has a widespread infection.
Ignaz Semmelweis and Florence Nightingale were among medical professionals in the mid-19th century who recognized the importance of cleanliness to the health and well-being of patients, but they did not initially understand why it helped. Louis Pasteur and other researchers eventually helped doctors and nurses understand that microorganisms (called germs) cause infections.
Joseph Lister (1827-1912) was a British physician who heard about germ theory in 1864. He figured out how to use carbolic acid to kill germs. On August 12, 1865, Dr. Lister performed a successful medical operation using his antiseptic techniques on an 11-year-old boy. He used carbolic acid to clean wounds and to sterilize medical instruments. Over the next few years, the number of people who died after surgery under his care decreased dramatically.
Other surgeons were initially reluctant to adopt Lister’s techniques. They complained that it was too time-consuming and complicated. However, by the 1880s, Lister’s approach gained wide acceptance.
In 1879 a St. Louis doctor named Joseph Lawrence created the formula for an antiseptic liquid. He named it in honor of Joseph Lister: LISTERINE®.
This is Joseph Lister's carbolic steam spray apparatus on display at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, Scotland. Photo by Stephencdickson / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0.
Learn More
Joseph Lister pioneered the antiseptic principle during his time at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Please Note: This video shows an illustration of a leg wound.
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